English
James
James comes from Old French James, and goes back to Biblical Hebrew יַעֲקֹב.
- Biblical Hebrewc. 1000–200 BCEיַעֲקֹבyaʿăqōḇliterally ‘May He Heel’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἸακώβ
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἸάκωβοςIákōbos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEIācōbus
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CEIācōmus
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400James
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1611same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Biblical Hebrewc. 1000–200 BCEיַעֲקֹבyaʿăqōḇliterally ‘May He Heel’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἸακώβ
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἸάκωβοςIákōbos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEIācōbus
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CEIācōmus
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400James
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1611same form
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these;…”
The story
The English New Testament form of Jacob, from Middle English James, from Old French James, from Vulgar Latin Iācōmus, spoken and altered pronunciation of Latin Iācōbus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos), from Ἰακώβ (Iakṓb), from Biblical Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (yaʿăqōḇ, literally “May He Heel”), from the third-person singular masculine imperfective form of the Semitic verb "to heel" (with various meanings), in turn from עָקֵב (ʿāqēḇ, “heel of the foot”). In reference to the Ecuadorian island, a modification of the earlier name Duke of York's Island after its eponymous duke's coronation as James II of England.
Every English word from Biblical Hebrew יַעֲקֹב
Today it means
name The twentieth book of the New Testament of the Bible, the general epistle of James.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Biblical Hebrew יַעֲקֹב / James